Online or web-based games typically gate a user's progress in a game by tying game actions performed by the user to an energy level. For example, a user may cause an avatar in the online or web-based game to plant a seed in a virtual garden. As another example, a user may initiate a round in a word forming game such as SCRAMBLE WITH FRIENDS®, as provided by ZYNGA INC.®, with another user. When game actions such as planting a virtual crop or initiating a round of a game are performed, a traditional game system may then deduct a determinable amount of energy from a pool of energy associated with the user. In many cases, especially after performing a number of game actions, the user may not have enough energy available in their pool of energy to perform the desired game action. In such cases, the traditional game systems may provide the user an opportunity to purchase energy so that the desired game action can be completed. Alternatively, the traditional game system may replenish energy to the pool of energy after a determinable amount of time has passed. Thus, although progress in the game is halted for a given period of time, the user may continue with the game after waiting for the energy to be replenished.
Thus, many traditional game systems may tie the acquisition of energy used within a game to a purchase or simply to the passage of time.